Zet Thigh braces... Get 'em where you
want 'em!!!
The outfitting of Zet boats is very
simple. This has two major advantages – it saves weight and there
are fewer things to break. It does however mean that it can be hard
to adjust the thigh braces to fit your shape / build. The thigh
braces that come with the boat work for many as they are. However, if
you're short, tall, or like me, you are very fussy about the
outfitting of your boat; this is the best option I have come up with
to fix the 'thigh brace problem'. I used this system for 7 weeks in
Chile with no issues, so if you do it right it should last for a
long time!
What you'll need:
Duck Tape, good glue (I use araldite,
but others will work – I think some kind of epoxy is best), a sharp
knife, and a small hacksaw (The
saw isn't essential for the job but it's the best tool I've found
for doing this...)
Cut off the “mounting system” (BUT
NOT ALL OF IT!!)
Once you'ver removed the thigh brace,
you will see that the screw inserts are mounted in a hard plastic
which is joined to rest of the soft thigh brace foam.
You have to cut of this hard piece of
plastic, leaving the top end of the plastic attached (see photo below).
Try to keep this cut as flat as
possible. Trim off any excess foam / plastic with the knife.
Work out the fit!
Before you start any glueing put the
thigh braces back into your boat and jump on in!
Move the braces around and work out
exactly where you want to re-position the mount (make sure you pick what you want
carefully – it might even be an idea to get half kitted up)...
Mark out the new position of the thigh
brace with a pen / knife and remove them from the boat.
Time to Glue!!!
Be generous with the glue! Slap it all
on and make it look as tidy as you can.
I like to strap the thigh brace
together with the tape so I don't have to hold it until it's dry...
Tape it up!
This stage may not be needed but I like
to do it for my own piece of mind.
Wait for the glue to set and remove the
tape. Re apply the tape (nicely this time) to really hold the mount
in place.
If you have one, use a heat gun to
gently heat the tape – I find this really helps to stick it down to
uneven surfaces.
And... you're done – new improved
thigh braces!!!!
Hope that helps!